It has generally been required that a magnetic recording medium for sound-recording, image-recording or computer use permit high density recording, and a magnetic recording medium having a metal thin film as the magnetic recording layer has drawn much attention and has been commercially available for high density recording. The metal thin film can be formed by a vapour deposition method such as vacuum evaporation, sputtering, or ion-plating such as electro-plating or electroless plating.
A surface of a magnetic layer of a magnetic recording tape for sound-recording, image-recording or computer is made smooth to improve output in the short wavelength region. A high density magnetic recording tape having a backing layer on the opposite side of the support to the magnetic layer to improve running properties and durability has been commercially available.
However, the backing layer provided by a conventional method on the opposite surface of a magnetic tape to the magnetic layer is worn out by contact with a guide pole or a fixed pole and the like: dropouts increase upon magnetic recording; its friction coefficient increases and the edge of the tape is easily bent. Therefore, further improvements are necessary for the backing layer. There are still problems that when a magnetic tape is rolled, unevenness of the backing layer transfers through on the magnetic layer, thereby deteriorating the electromagnetic properties of the magnetic layer such as its C/N characteristics.